KEXP Reviews

This Brooklyn band’s remarkable debut album is a consistently strong set of catchy, rhythmic indie-pop recalling ‘80s New Wave and post-punk without sounding overly retro. Frontman Alec Ounsworth’s distinctive vocal style is mostly reminiscent of David Byrne, and there’s a fair amount of early Talking Heads in the band’s blend of guitars and keyboards, but you’ll also hear bits of the Smiths, Joy Division, the Feelies and other past luminaries. And while the album only contains nine true songs (there’s also a bizarre calliope-spiked intro and a couple of quirky interludes), every single one of them is a sparkling, original gem. 7/15/2005
- Don Yates